The Pen of a Ready Writer

 One of Kendra’s upcoming retellings is a Matchmaker story. It caught my eye because my husband and I were introduced to each other by a couple of self-proclaimed matchmakers. I am NOT the matchmaker type. To me, someone’s choice of life partner is, out of principle, not my business. Plus, the choosing of a life partner is so complex and has so many risks greatly affecting the future. It’s too much responsibility for anyone to take on, other than the couple themselves. But the fact that I am NOT the matchmaker type makes that type all the more fascinating to me. What sort of personality do you have to be? A little bit of a nosy person— but maybe in a fun and candid sort of way. A like bit bossy — or maybe just extra confident in sharing your sage advice — and you’re usually right, so people listen to you. You’ve got to be super observant. And super intuitive. And, since our current culture here doesn’t involve actual arranged marriages, you’ve got to have that knack of giving coupl...

Writing has looked very different these last two years. I have a toddler. I have another baby on the way. Writing time has devolved into something practically non-existent…I feel like I barely find time to scribble down my daughter’s amazing little milestones in a Note app on my phone. But my heart…my heart is still writing. My fingers itch for my laptop keyboard. My brain tries to sort through potential plot holes as my exhausted self falls asleep. Enter Kendra Ardnek and her self-publishing progress. She’s been doing joint retellings with other authors since the end of the Rooglewood contests. And she’s doing another set. The deadlines are far enough into the future that I began to have hope that maybe, just maybe, I could join her for one of them. And I’m excited. So now I’m brewing story ideas in my head like a good tea.  And I wanted to ask you guys — have any of you published with Kendra? Or read her stories? What do you think about this group publishing idea?

 How many of you have read Bleak House by Charles Dickens or watched the movie? Do you remember Esther? She is good. And kind. She has a dogged optimism to look for the good in everything, no matter how hard her situation. She is a hard worker, someone that you WANT to come help you because you know she will make everything better. I love her character. Not everybody does. She’s been accused of being a “flat” and “passive” character. She’s not. I’ll defend my Bleak House Esther. But let me first talk about another character…one of my own, who really was a weak, flat, passive character. I liked her when I first created her. She was sweet and lovely. I thought it wasn’t her fault that she was swept along by forces more powerful than she was. I didn’t even realize how passive she was until a judge pointed it out to me. Now I see how cringe-worthy she was — she was pretty worthless (no offense)  except to inspire other characters to take action, and even then, their action on her ...

    One of the shadows moved.   “Were you just going to chuck it in there with no thought for the poor folks on the other side?”   Flip’s voice drawled out.   It was a deep voice and it made my heart skip a beat.      He moved away from the trees and came to stand in front of me.   “Some hard-working fellow is plowing his field and then – whop!   Out of nowhere, a poisoned apple flies out and hits him upside the head.”   He clucked his tongue reproachfully.

Hey! Hey! Hey!      After weeks...months...a year????  I found time to sit down and write again!!!  This past weekend was glorious.  I dusted off my laptop and started pounding out a story.      This. Feels. Good.      I can't tell you how happy I am about it.      Kendra Ardnek is hosting a Fairy Tale retelling.  I had started a Twelve Dancing Princesses story, with plans to finish it for her event this year, buuuuut...my timing didn't work out.  So I am trying one for next year.      Next year, the theme is Snow White Rose Red (hereafter referred to as SWRR).  And it's not a story that I'm terribly familiar with.  So I read the Grimm's tale, and started typing.      It's a rough draft.  I'm about 8400 words into it.  And I'm assuming I'm about a third of the way into the story.  I didn't outline this one, I'm just discovering it as I go...

     It was hard not to feel excitement as I held the metal square in my hands.  It was heavy.  My hands tingled and every part of my heart wanted to scream that we were that much closer to our greatest goals.  I  wanted to hoist it over my head and shout to the world that we had discovered an ancient artifact from a lost city.  I wanted to call my dad and say, "So, guess what we found after all!"  I wanted to call my professor and hear his enthusiastic response.  I wanted to scoop Jenny into my arms and twirl her around the motel room.      Well, maybe I wouldn't actually do that last one -- even if this really was an ancient artifact.      I mean, I would want to, but I wouldn't actually...nevermind.      It didn't matter because this wasn't an ancient artifact.  This was a local hoax that we were all falling into.      Jenny leaned forward on her seat, her e...